Single Idea 21557

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / b. Type theory]

Full Idea

Quine (1941) said that Russell had confused use and mention, and thus thought he had reduced classes to linguistic entities, while in fact he reduced them only to Platonic properties.

Gist of Idea

Russell confused use and mention, and reduced classes to properties, not to language

Source

report of Willard Quine (Whitehead and the Rise of Modern Logic [1941]) by Douglas Lackey - Intros to Russell's 'Essays in Analysis' p.133

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.133


A Reaction

This is cited as the 'orthodox critical interpretation' of Russell and Whitehead. Confusion of use and mention was a favourite charge of Quine's.